When Hannah Weber was in middle school and high school, she volunteered in the toddlers’ room in Children’s Ministry. That’s where she was drawn to working with kids with special needs. Such needs could be physical, but there are also many who experience behavioral and developmental difficulties that aren’t visible on the surface.
Hannah decided to go into a teaching career, with an emphasis in special education. For her first five years of teaching, Hannah worked closely with kids in special education, mostly in preschool, and some with severe needs. While the job was taxing, Hannah found joy in seeing her students make progress through specially designed instruction and accommodations.
“We’re there to support them, we will give them a heart of compassion.”
Throughout these years of teaching, however, Hannah had a dream for a special needs ministry within Faith’s Children’s Ministry. She wanted to see a place where kids with special needs could learn about the Lord with proper supports in place—and where parents could feel comfortable leaving their kids during the service.
About a year ago, that dream was realized when Hannah and a few others started the special needs ministry. In that year, there has been growth that they desire to see continued for years to come. They have an important role to “help the weak, be patient with them all…seek to do good to one another and to everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:14b).
In the summer of 2023, Children’s Ministry Director Joe Swanson met with Hannah, Wendy Dougherty, Mitzi Peterson, and Diana Ford about kickstarting the special needs ministry. These women all have a background in special education, so they were prepared to start a program that offered support for families who needed something a little different from the standard activities in Sunday School.
After a few brainstorming sessions, Hannah was appointed the Team Lead for the project and has led the shaping of the ministry. Right now, the ministry consists of special needs aides who support the Sunday School classroom teachers and specific students who need extra help.
For children with sensory needs, fidget toys give their hands something to do, helping them to listen more attentively during lesson times.
When a child’s sensory system isn’t regulated, their behavior can come across as challenging or defiant. When those sensory needs are met, however, it’s easier for them to participate in a whole-group setting. Sometimes the aides help by providing students with fidget toys, setting timers for activities, or giving them a visual schedule or special seating. Sometimes expectations might be modified if they are too challenging for these students.
The aides’ support helps kids with special needs maximize their time in Sunday School so they can learn what their peers are learning. Ultimately, the goal is for them all to learn the gospel in a way that is accessible for them.
As in every new endeavor, there were bumps along the road in blending different styles of teaching and collaboration. However, Hannah has been encouraged to see the willingness of the Sunday School teachers to work with the special needs aides.
The fruit of that collaboration is that there are several kids who are more engaged with the lessons and the routine of Sunday mornings. To an outside observer, the growth might not be obvious, but the volunteers can see them answering questions and being eager to participate. The kids are meeting their modified expectations and feeling that success is a huge win for both the students and the volunteers.
Hannah’s goal is to keep the kids in the classrooms as much as she can. Sometimes they need to take a short walk down the hallway, but generally the volunteers try to accommodate as much as they can within the classrooms so that behavioral meltdowns are avoided.
A couple times, visiting families came who had kids with special needs. Both families made a comment that they’d never been to a church that allowed them to leave their child in Sunday School. It was a blessing that they could feel comfortable leaving their children in capable hands.
Hannah admits it can be challenging to figure out what a child needs in a certain moment. She doesn’t claim to know everything, but she’s humbly seeking how to best support the children.
Hannah and the team have learned a lot about what works, and they’re looking forward to continuing to grow this year. Hannah plans on providing more training to both classroom teachers and special needs aides, with more teaching and support strategies.
Her dream would be to someday have a separate “sensory room,” a space that offers the kinds of experiences that help students with disabilities regulate their sensory systems. It could include items like a swing, a trampoline or a ball pit, and kids could go there to reset or as a reward.
Currently, the special needs aides are only in a few Sunday School classrooms, but the goal would be to have fully trained aides in every classroom, both on Sunday mornings and at Wednesday night Discovery. Hannah would love to see members with occupational therapy, physical therapy, or school counseling backgrounds join the ministry.
However, you don’t have to have a special education background to get involved! The team needs more volunteers for this school year, and Hannah would love to train anyone who’s interested. Contact Joe Swanson or Shae Brown if you’d like to be part of the team.
From her experience working with kids, Hannah knows disabilities can be isolating for both parents and kids. She says, “It’s a slow grieving process—you grieve continually as you meet or don’t meet milestones. Dreams for your children change and morph, so it can be an isolating experience to watch your children develop in a different way than their peers.”
It can also be exhausting for parents to advocate for their kids, so Hannah says, “If we can share that load with those parents where they don’t have to advocate for their kids, but we’re there to support them, we will give them a heart of compassion.” She and her team want to extend grace and love to families, so they feel like they have a place to belong at Faith.
At the end of the day, we want every child—with disabilities or not—to know they are made in the image of God, to know the truth of the gospel, and to feel seen and loved. The special needs team is doing that in a special way, and they’re excited about how God will continue to use them.
Lydia is a teacher, poet, and blogger, who serves various ministries here at Faith. You can read more of her writing and subscribe to her blog at lydiakinne.com.
View Resources by Lydia Kinne
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